Over the years there has been a continuing need for foldable articles of furniture which are readily transportable from one location to another for reassembly in a rapid and efficient manner. Prior patents directed to such articles of furniture include U.S. Pat. Nos. 168,879; 242,355; 835,902; 1,559,878; 2,764,462; 2,932,343; 4,082,389; 4,236,460; and 4,579,401.
Specifically, the '879 patent shows a foldable wardrobe comprising side members F, F hinged to a pair of back members A, A. A pair of shelves C and C slide in grooves in the inside of the side pieces F, F and are secured in place by hooks or other connectors. A top member E also has grooves in an underside which receive tongues extending from the upper edges of back and side members. In practice, the two piece back and the hinge connection therefore provides a relatively unstable back for the wardrobe. Further, the side members are not hinged to fold outward over the back of the wardrobe to form a compact package. Finally the structural integrity of the wardrobe depends upon the tongue and groove connections between the top and sides and the connector attachment for the shelves to the sides of the wardrobe.
The '355 patent also discloses a folding wardrobe having a back member, hinged side members, shelves for sliding in open-ended grooves and a pair of pins that cooperate with holes in a top (not shown) for securing the wardrobe together. The hinges disclosed in the '355 patent and the groove A' at the point where the side members engage the back members preclude the side members from swinging outwardly to a folded position on a back surface of the back of the wardrobe to form a compact package for transport from one location to another. Further, the entire structural rigidity depends upon the top which is pinned to the side members.
The '902 patent also discloses a folding wardrobe having a rigid back b, a pair of side members c hinged to the back and a top d also hinged to the back. The hinge connection for the sides to the back only allow the sides to fold forward over the back while the rings c4 and cleats c5 prevent the folding of the sides and back into a compact package.
The '878 patent discloses a collapsible camp cupboard having a back 1 and side abutments 2 and 3 rigidly secured to the back 1. The abutments are a little thicker than shelf boards 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 which loosely fit between the abutments in front of the back and are secured pivotally in place and by virtue of binding strips 11 and 12 swing freely from horizontal positions downwardly to vertical positions within the cupboard. Side boards 20 and 25 are connected to the abutments 2 and 3 by hinges and are adapted to swing inwardly to cover the folded shelves. Thus, while the cupboard is collapsible, it is not collapsible to a condition where the side members swing outwardly over the back to form a highly compact structure for easy transport from one location to another.
The '462 patent discloses a portable, collapsible bar with side members 7 and a top 9 hinged to a back 6. A top 9 rests on the upward edges of the back and side members while dowels 11 project downwardly at the underside of the top into openings 12 in a metal plate 13 recessed in the upper edge of each of the side members to lock the top to the side members with the bar in its erected position. The hinge structure for the back and side and top members does not produce a highly compact package upon folding of the bar to a collapsed position. Further, the support structure for the bar and the method of assembly and disassembly of the bar are complicated.
The '343 patent discloses a collapsible portable stand-up table. The table includes a vertically extending back member 24 having side members 18 and 20 secured by hinges to an inner face thereof. A front member 22 is hinged to an outside of the side member 20. A removable top tray 10 fits on top of the back, front and side members when they are assembled in a rectangular pattern. The hinge connections for the table are such that the side 19 folds inward over a front or inner side of back member 24 while the side member 20 folds inward over the side 18 and the back 24 with the front 22 folding inward over the side 20. None of the hinges allow the sides to pivot outwardly relative to the back member and over a back thereof to form a highly compact package. Further, the table includes latches for securing the top 12 to the body comprising the back and side members.
The '389 patent discloses a collapsible camp supply unit comprising a multi-shelf cabinet wherein outwardly extending tongues from the shelves fit through slots in the sides, front and back of the cabinet to be secured by clothespins. The front and back of the cabinet consists of hinged sections for folding along a vertical line connection between the sections. The side members are also connecting by hinges to the sections comprising the back member to swing inwardly over the insides of the back member when it is desired to fold the cabinet. As noted, the cabinet does not include hinges which allow the side members to fold outwardly relative to the back to form a compact package for transport and the connection of the various parts is via the clothespins extending through the tongues of the shells beyond the side members. Thus, the cabinet is relative unstable when assembled and does not fold to a highly compact package for transport.
The '460 patent describes a foldable furniture system consisting of four vertical posts supporting side members to a back. The sides are adapted to swing inwardly relative to the back rather than outwardly to lie on the back surface of the back member in a highly compact package.
The '471 patent describes a collapsible cabinet including a base to which side members and a back are hinged for folding inwardly over the base member. Latches are included to hold the side panels latched to the front when the cabinet is erected and to provide structural integrity to the cabinet. Thus, when assembled, the cabinet is somewhat unstable and is not capable of being collapsed to a highly compact package for transport.
Thus, there is a continuing need for hand foldable and portable furniture which is foldable to a highly compact package and which is easily unfolded to a sturdy unit of furniture. The present invention satisfies such needs.